Magic
by OniZenmaru
Summary: Howl's Moving Castle AU. After leaving the shop, Flynn is saved by a rather unlikely person…


**A/N:** One of two Ghibli crossover requests~

* * *

Flynn was rather content with his normal life...or at least he believes that what he's supposed to feel. 'Normal' was really just another way of saying 'dull', but he supposes it's his fate. When you're the eldest of three, you couldn't afford to slack off. Someone had to run the hat shop while his mother was away, and with both his siblings working, he was the obvious choice.

His nimble fingers make quick work of sewing the flower accessory to the cloth hat he's been working on, the pile next to him slowly becoming less by each passing minute. Flynn doesn't mind doing the entire order by himself, though he makes sure to keep track of time as he works. He is supposed to visit his sister Estelle at 4:30, the café she works at a little ways away.

Flynn has a good two hours, so he makes the best of it.

* * *

The bell on the shop door chimes as Flynn closes it, locking and twisting the knob to make sure it was secure. He is always the last to leave. His coworkers invited him out for an evening of fun, but he swiftly declined like always. He makes sure he looks decent in the shop window before leaving, wondering just how crowded the café would be once he arrived.

Estelle was rather popular with the local boys, all of which liked to flock to the bakery just to see her. His sister had to tell them all that they couldn't stop and gawk if they didn't buy anything...Needless to say, the sales for the bakery had gone up greatly.

Of course, as her older brother it bothers him, but at the same time he was happy for his sister's popularity. Flynn quickens his pace when he sees that the trolley is about to leave, paying and getting on just as it takes off. It's crowded on the inside, so Flynn decides to stand near the open door, hand clinching the metal railing so he doesn't fall.

Wind slips through his blond locks as they pass building after building, the military planes overhead roaring loudly while passing by. As they round the corner, people cheer and wave while the soldiers march out to war, tanks and other heavy machinery following close behind. Flynn really had no interest in 'parade' at all; in fact, he disliked the war that had broken out between countries.

But he decides not to let it both him and focuses on getting to Estelle's work place. Hopping off the trolley, he slips past the mass of people and heads for the back alleys. He checks the direction Estelle had given him to make sure he was going the right way, because he had never taken said route before. He's distracted for a few seconds and somehow ends up bumping into someone, and without missing a beat he apologizes.

"You lost?" Looking the man up and down, Flynn could see that he was a soldier, though what he's doing back here is something he doesn't care to know.

"Oh, um...no, I'm not." Flynn says politely but still takes a step back, because this soldier had a glint in his eyes that the blond really didn't like.

"Well then come have tea with us." When another soldier rounds the corner, he really starts to feel uncomfortable.

"My sister is waiting for me..." He tries to pass the two of them, but is stopped when the soldier who had just arrived blocks his way.

They asked for his age, but he doesn't give it, wanting nothing more than to just leave before things got out of hand. But they wouldn't let him pass. When he puts a bit more force into his voice, they just laugh, saying its 'cute' how forceful he's being. Flynn doesn't like this one bit.

"Aw, it looks like you scared him." The first soldier says, nudging his friend as he laughs.

"So? He's even cuter when he's scared-"

"There you are, Sweetheart. Sorry I'm late."

Flynn tenses when he feels an arm slink around his shoulders, bringing him closer to the body that had apparently addressed him. Looking over he see a young man with long, dark hair and from his clothes Flynn can tell that he isn't a soldier. No soldier would wear such a colorful jacket. Even though Flynn was thankful for their arrival, he still wonders if he's just gotten himself into an even bigger mess...

"Hey, screw off, we're busy here." The first soldier glares at the young man, but from the corner of his eye, Flynn can see him smirking.

"Really? Because it looked like the two of you were just leaving." There's a hint of mischief in his savior's voice, and it causes Flynn to swallow hard.

With a wave of the stranger's hand, both of the soldiers straighten up, a strained look on their faces as they walk away. They yell back in confusion, but the longhaired male pays them no mind. He's told to not hold it against them, that the soldiers are 'good people'...and Flynn briefly wonders if that's true.

"So, where are you headed?" Flynn is mildly surprised to hear this, "I'll be your escort."

The blond shakes away his shock so he can speak, and he gives the stranger the name of the café he was heading to once his head is clear.

"All right then...Oh yes, don't be alarmed but I'm being followed. Act natural."

Flynn knew this guy was trouble...

As they walk, he tightly clings to the other male's arm, wising he had just stayed on the main street with all the other people. Acting normal is rather hard when there's a strange noise coming from behind him; it sounds like the 'gush' of something slimy, and as he glances over his shoulder that's exactly what he sees.

A group of dark, blob like creatures is following them, and when he makes a small noise of surprise, they take notice. The stranger tightly grabs his hand and runs, apologizing for getting him involved as they round the corner. While they run, Flynn notices more of the blobs up ahead, panic overtaking him because there didn't seem to be any other way of escape. They are completely surrounded.

"Hold on." The darker haired man tightly holds his waist, Flynn grabbing onto him tightly as a rush of wind overtakes him.

He doesn't realize he's holding his breath until he lets it go. Looking around Flynn sees nothing around them but open space, and when he's instructed to extend his legs, he does just that. He's scared because of the simple fact that they are _walking on air_, but at the same time he knows the longer haired man won't drop him.

"See? It's not so hard." His savior says, seemingly without a care in the world.

But he has a point. The two of them glide through the air with such little effort that Flynn momentarily forgets that he's technically not supposed to be up there. When they get close to a roof, they easy bounce off, Flynn's foot barely touching it as they float away.

"You're a natural." The longer haired man says this right against his ear, and as Flynn turns to his savoir, he sees him smiling.

Flynn smiles right back.

After getting over his initial fear, he finds all of this to be...rather fun. Looking down, Flynn sees the hustle and bustle of daily life, the café just as jam-packed as ever. The people seated outside look like they're enjoying themselves, and none of them had taken notice of the two of them up in the air. They land on the balcony, Flynn slowly letting go of the stranger's hand as his feet touch the ground.

"I'll draw them off, but be sure to wait a bit before going outside." He says, and all Flynn can do is nod, "That's my boy."

When his savoir jumps off the ledge, Flynn immediately looks over in a panic. He's gone, and there isn't a single trace of him. The blond just stands there, wondering if everything that had just happened was a dream. It was too surreal. But Flynn still smiles. He hadn't had a thrill like that since...thinking about it was his first time feeling like that.

The stranger had shown him something amazing...so they couldn't be all that bad.


End file.
